Rogue Rescue

You might notice a new button on the sidebar of my blog page.  A yellow “Donate” button. Or you might not have noticed it till I pointed it out.  Either way, it’s there!

The purpose behind this button is to raise money to neuter/spay rescue felines, most of them taken out of shelters such as King’s County in Fresno before they’re euthanized. Sadly, local shelters have recently changed their policies so they won’t do the low cost spay/neuters for the public for kittens under 4 months old.  This creates a huge problem as the rescue shelters won’t take the kittens unless they’re fixed.  This means we have to go through private vet hospitals, which charge a helty fee: $100-$200 or more, depending on gender.

For our friend and fellow feline rescuer (think Harriet Tubman, except with kitties) Mo, this means she is currently stuck with five kittens and their mother in her bathroom because the mother cat is so protective, she attacks any other animals she sees (including Mo’s very gentle dog).  Her other ‘quarantine’ room is currently occupied with teenagers we’re trying to find homes for.

We work with organized non-profit rescues, but do not belong to them ourselves. We’re looking into getting non-profit status, but it takes a while and given the glut of cats and kittens currently in shelters, with constant distress calls for help from the people running them, we don’t have time to wait.  M has spent thousands of dollars of her own money on medical care and spay/neuters for countless felines when the promised help from rescue groups (also overwhelmed) fell through.  We can get these kittens to a no-kill adoption center when they’re fixed, but we’re looking at $1,000 minimum to get all five kittens done.  The other option is to have them in M’s bathroom for another two and a half months, which reduces the odds of getting them adopted. Most people want, as our friend Aldyth puts it, ‘little bitties.’  We are also, btw, actively looking for good homes with people we know will get the babies fixed and be responsible parents!

In the meantime, we’ve set up a PayPal donation button on my account specifically to fund getting this batch of kittens fixed.  If anyone is inclined to give us grief because we are not an official non-profit, please remember it’s people like us (especially M!) that shoulder much of the time, responsibility, and money for rescue animals when the groups are full up or run out of money.  We also take on the grief when kittens who come to us ill from their short time in the shelters end up dying, despite our best care.

I’ve attached pictures of the kids and their mom (who is being spayed this Wednesday).  The white one is Mugatu.  Points to anyone who knows where the name comes from!  If you are in the Bay Area and know of anyone looking to adopt or even foster, please send them my way! Or, if you know someone who can spare a few dollars for a good cause and you can vouch for my integrity, it would be greatly appreciated!

Sunny Monday

It’s GORGEOUS outside today.  Sunny, warm and quite Southern Californian in its balmy breeze.  Definitely a change from San Francisco’s usual June Gloom and fog shrouded hills.  Not that I’m complaining about the fog.  It is one of the reasons I moved up here.  But I do admit a little sun now and again is welcome.  It’s nice to get some color and remember what it was like when I had my perpetual golden tan.  Ah, the blissful ignorance of youth…

I had a great weekend.  Twilight Tour at EFBC/FCC (to read more about it, go here for my post at Fatal Foodies); wine and snackage (Seeduction bread, olive oil, uber rich cheese and wine) with my sister; a gorgeous drive back up the coast early Sunday morning; and then a full afternoon at home, including beach walkies, writing and getting the laundry done.  I honestly can’t (and won’t) complain!  

Ooh, and thanks to my relentless walking and new love affair with my pedometer (I’m average 12,000 steps a day), I have lost enough weight to fit into some really nice summer pants my sister gave me.  And…yes…I do believe…yes, my waist is slowly but surely returning!  

I am in a very good mood, especially for a Monday. 

News of the Week

The exciting news for the weekend was Dave’s and my part in rescuing a seal lion pup, now recuperating at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito.  For two more in-depth tellings of the tale, go here and here.

We have discovered the joys of laser pointer and felines.  Heeeeee!!!!!   Not our cats in the photo, btw, but pictures WILL be forthcoming…  I have six of ’em going at once.

Tomorrow is Ravenous Romance day on UNBOUND, so please be prepared for yet more reminders and come join the Unbound crew and Keta Diablo, author of Ravenous historical romance LAND OF THE FALLING STARS!

Swoops, the Attack Bird

Go here for a highly entertaining and comprehensive blog about the antics of Swoops, Attack Bird of Front Street.

Swoops lives directly across from my office building and we have front row seats to a very entertaining wildlife versus mankind drama every day.  Two of my office mates have been ‘Swooped.’  I’ve wandered the same path without incident.  I wasn’t even aware of Swoops until Tuesday.

Hours of entertainment.  The roar of the crowds that gather when Swoops hits an unsuspecting passerby is reminiscent of audiences at WWF events. He and his mate have garnered quite a following, making news as far away as the U.K.

I’m not sure what the Financial District crowds will do when Swoops’s kids are grown up and he doesn’t have a nest to protect any more…  Maybe gladiatorial combat will make a comeback!

Four and a Half Cherries, with Whipped Cream on Top!

Ripping the Bodice just got an awesome review from Whipped Cream Reviews and Dana/Inara is happy dancing again.  Time for Angry Torso Man to ‘glare’ at you (his nipples are really eyes, see, and he’s glaring with them) again!  

Here’s a teaser…

Ripping the Bodice is clever and witty in its use of the romance genre to explore how too much of a good thing can twist a woman’s expectations, landing her in hilarious hot water.

 Please read the rest and leave a comment on the review site if you have a sec!  And thank you, to the lovely  Xeranthemum, for her more than kind words about my writing!  

Today is the first of many Ravenous guests posts on Unbound!  Adele (aka Hagelrat) has invited us to take over the blog every other Wednesday, so yours truly will be hosting a different RR author (or two) as they share their thoughts on writing, reading, romance, ???  I intend to slip some zombieage in there along the way, of course.

Our first author up is Lexi Ryan, the author of the paranormal romance Stilettos, Inc.  Please stop by and comment!

“Ultra sexy, chock full of compelling heroes and feisty, independent heroines, Ms. Ryan delivers a delicious, action-packed paranormal adventure not to be missed.” –Best-selling author Emma Wildes

“I was ensnared by the story. It’s hard to touch on all the reasons I liked this book so much, as there are so many facets to the story. Suffice it to say that if you want something a little different with wonderful twists and turns along with some super steamy, passionate sex, this book will be right up your alley. Ms. Ryan is an excellent storyteller.” –Bookwenches.com (4.75 star review)

“The superhero aspect of the story is fun to read, and it is interesting to see a cross between a comic book hero and an erotic romance hero. The combination of the two makes this an excellent read.” –Coffee Time Romance (5 cup review)

“Humor, action and suspense. What more could you ask for?”–ParaNormalRomance